The Stafford-Covey Return to Flight Task Group will conduct its next public meeting at noon EDT Thursday, August 26, and will be available briefly afterward to answer questions from the media. The task group will consider the testing and qualification of the Solid Rocket Booster Bolt Catcher, as part of its assessment of NASA's efforts to return the Space Shuttle to flight.

The meeting and media opportunity will be conducted via telephone conference. The public will be able to listen to the meeting from the Apollo Annex, 1740 NASA Parkway, Houston, or via the Internet at:

http://returntoflight.org

News media will be able to monitor the meeting by phone or Internet. At 1:15 p.m. EDT, Co-Chairman Richard O. Covey and Task Group Technical Panel Lead Joseph W. Cuzzupoli will be available to the media for questions. For access instructions, media should contact Shannon Bach at: 281/792-7523, no later than 4 p.m. EDT August 25.

Those who do not want to ask questions can listen to the media opportunity only by calling: 321/867-1220, -1240, or -1260.

The task group is co-chaired by retired Air Force Lieutenant General, and former Apollo Mission Commander, Thomas Stafford and Covey, who is a former Space Shuttle Commander. The task group is chartered to make an independent assessment of NASA's actions to implement the recommendations of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board as they relate to the safety and operational readiness of the next Space Shuttle flight.